McGinley named captain of 2014 European Ryder Cup team - RyderCup.com Paul McGinley holed the 10-foot winning putt in his Ryder Cup debut at The Belfry in 2002 and was also part of the victorious sides in 2004 and 2006. McGinley named captain of 2014 European Ryder Cup team Published: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 | 1:03 p.m. By MICHAEL CASEY, AP Sports Writer ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Paul McGinley was chosen as Europe's Ryder Cup captain for 2014 on Tuesday, ending a messy campaign that included a late challenge from former captain Colin Montgomerie. RELATED Northern Irelan'd Paul McGinley picked to captain Team Europe The European Tour's tournament committee in Abu Dhabi made the unanimous decision in favor of McGinley after a nearly three-hour meeting. The smiling 46-year-old Irishman was then presented at a news conference as the successor to Jose Maria Olazabal, who led Europe to a stunning comeback victory in October.

"To lead the cream of the crop in the Ryder Cup is going to be a huge honor," McGinley said. "To be quite honest it is a very humbling experience to be sitting in this seat. It is a week I'm looking forward to. It's a whole new experience for me, the chance to be a captain." The decision ended a hectic few days in which Darren Clarke pulled out of the running for the position, preferring to concentrate on his own game. His decision prompted Montgomerie to launch his late campaign for the job which, in turn, sparked a show of support for McGinley on Monday from some of Europe's leading players. The loudest of that support came from top-ranked Rory McIlroy, who spoke forcefully on Monday and Tuesday. He also came out against Montgomerie, arguing he would be less motivated since he had captained the winning 2010 Ryder Cup team. "Common sense prevailed in the end. ... Paul McGinley 2014 European Ryder Cup captain!!! Couldn't be happier for him. ... Roll on Gleneagles," McIlroy tweeted.

McIlroy later turned up at the news conference to welcome the new captain -- whom he played under in the Seve Trophy in 2009 -- declaring him to be "probably the best captain I've ever played under." "He makes you feel so good about yourself," McIlroy said. "He put me at No. 1. He's like `I want you lead out the team'. He builds you up and makes you feel confident. He is very good at that." McGinley acknowledged he doesn't have the playing record of some previous captains, but he does bring an uncanny ability to win as part of a team. He has played in three victorious Ryder Cup-winning teams -- in 2002, 2004 and 2006 -- and was vice captain for the victories in 2010 and last year at Medinah. Europe will defend the trophy at Gleneagles, Scotland. The Americans picked Tom Watson last month to captain the U.S. team at Gleneagles. Watson will be 65 when the event starts, making him by far the oldest man to fill the role and the first repeat captain for the United States since 1987.

But he's also the last American to lead the team to victory on the road in 1993, and he knows how to win in the blustery Scottish weather. Watson congratulated McGinley on his appointment. "(I) anticipate that his passion and love of the event will transfer to being an outstanding leader of his team in 2014 at Gleneagles," Watson said. "Paul ... is an outstanding representative of European golf. I look forward to sharing the stage with him as we make our journey to Scotland." ©2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.

Ryder Cup 2014: How the two captains, Paul McGinley and Tom Watson, compared - Telegraph Ryder Cup Ryder Cup 2014: How the two captains, Paul McGinley and Tom Watson, compared The two leaders brought very different experience, character and method to their roles, and ended with very different feelings, writes Alasdair Reid Leading men: Paul McGinley and Tom Watson chat on the first tee before Sunday's singles matches Photo: AP By Alasdair Reid , at Gleneagles 8:57PM BST 28 Sep 2014 “I have somewhat of an affinity for Scotland,” Tom Watson said when he arrived at Gleneagles last week. Would that he had the somewhat of an affinity for the basic principles of leadership, as Phil Mickelson pointed out with such exquisite malice. The blame for the United States’ defeat cannot be laid entirely at Watson’s door, but there is little doubt that he lost the captaincy battle as comprehensively as his players lost their matches. But then, that has been the pattern of the Ryder Cup in recent times, with the exception of Paul Azinger’s victory in 2008.

While the Europeans have won eight of the past 10 events, their captains have emerged as individuals of stature, insight and solid good sense. The American leaders have mostly been worthy old coves, but their grasp of management techniques has been non-existent. They have relied on their reputations – and found that reputations mean nothing in this environment. Staggeringly, every US captain since 1927 has been a major champion. A number of Europeans have had that status, too, but having your name on one of those four trophies is clearly no guarantee that you have a talent for man management as well. Indeed, as in football, where players from the second rank generally make better managers than the top stars, it could be suggested that coming up just short of greatness bestows a deeper understanding of the importance of application and effort. Related Articles Ryder Cup final scores and results 27 Sep 2014 Paul McGinley had that. The European captain was never going to dazzle his players by reeling off his achievements, but he made it his business to cover every base and consider every possibility to allow them to shine on their own account. The Irishman was forensic, clinical, meticulous in his preparations.

The so-called “European template” never had any physical form, but McGinley filled his own notebooks as he served his 12-year apprenticeship as a three-time Ryder Cup player and a two-time vice-captain. So by the time he took the top job, McGinley knew what creating a winning team and a winning environment was all about. Amazingly, Watson had not even attended a Ryder Cup since he led the American team in the 1993 matches at The Belfry. In other words, he had no first-hand experience of the tournament it has become over the past 21 years. There has been a telling contrast in the way the players of both teams have spoken about their captains these past few days. The Europeans have talked about McGinley’s thoroughness, his attentiveness, his attention to detail. They have relayed how he was on their cases all the way through the qualifying process, geeing them along, keeping them in the loop. Invited to assess Watson, the Americans have noted little beyond the fact that he used to be a good golfer. Watson has conducted himself, as you would expect, with dignity and grace. He took defeat stoically and sportingly.

Next July, at St Andrews, he will play his last Open Championship. The adoration of the galleries there will be a better way to remember the affinity with Scotland that he cherishes. But this week he was taught a lesson in five key areas 1 PREPARATION McGinley has been a frequent visitor to Gleneagles since his captaincy was confirmed 19 months ago. He made it his business to check out rooms and facilities as well as ensuring the groundstaff knew how he wanted the course to play. Watson has made only two or three visits in the same period, and his attempt to gather his players there in July was a failure as only a few bothered to turn up. McGinley has also attended a number of tournaments to keep a close eye on candidate players, hosted a number of dinners for those who looked likely to make the team and made it his business to get to know fringe players such as Victor Dubuisson. 2 WILD CARDS Webb Simpson and Stephen Gallacher made nightmare starts in the Friday fourballs and did not play again until the Sunday singles.

Hunter Mahan was the best of the US wild cards, delivering 1½ points, with Westwood the strongest of the European picks, winning both his foursomes matches in the company of Jamie Donaldson. And Ian Poulter definitely did his bit. However, while McGinley had few options, most commentators believe that Watson erred by leaving players like Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel at home. 3 MATCH SELECTIONS Watson made a bold move when he sent rookies Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth out together on Friday morning and was rewarded when they took a point off Poulter, the European talisman. Amazingly, however, he then stood them down for the afternoon foursomes. Watson also made an inexplicable decision to stand down Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley on Saturday. His tactics put pressure on other players, and Watson admitted he had erred when he saw how they were tiring. McGinley’s main mistake was to pair the nervous Gallacher with the out of form Poulter on that first day. But his masterstrokes were to bring Graeme McDowell together with Dubuisson and to put Henrik Stenson alongside Justin Rose.

4 THE SUNDAY ORDER Watson clearly liked what he had seen of Spieth and Reed as he sent them out first. However, his tactics further down the field were not so clear, especially his decision to put Mickelson and Bubba Watson at five and six respectively on a day the Americans desperately needed to shift the momentum. The US won just one of the first four matches, and the game was effectively up. 5 BACKROOM TEAMS Watson failed to acknowledge that his own lack of recent experience might be a weakness by picking vice-captains who were similarly handicapped. Andy North’s only previous Ryder Cup involvement was as a player in 1985, while the 72-year-old Raymond Floyd was a remote figure to many of the current players. Steve Stricker was the only vice-captain with an up-to-date cv, having also had the role in the last two events. By contrast, McGinley’s backroom team of Padraig Harrington, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, José María Olazábal, Des Smyth and Sam Torrance all brought substantial and relevant knowledge to their roles.

2014 Ryder Cup rosters: The best team USA and Europe captain's pick options - SBNation.com 2018 Ryder Cup 2014 Ryder Cup rosters: The best team USA and Europe captain's pick options The Ryder Cup quickly approaches and each captain will finalize his team on Tuesday. The European side has an embarrassment of options, while Tom Watson's choices are much less appealing. Rec Andrew Redington The calendar has flipped to September, which means it's Ryder Cup month. The European team settled its first nine players on Sunday, and now the two captains will announce their three captain's picks on Tuesday. It's one of the most intriguing days in golf off the course, and a couple spots on each side are up for debate at the last minute. Here's our effort to breakdown the current rosters, and then all the best options for each captain ahead of tomorrow's announcements. Who's in already? While the points race for the USA roster closed at the end of the PGA Championship, the European side did not determine their nine automatic qualifiers until the last day of the month on Sunday ( Here's a refresher for how each side calculates points for these qualifying spots ).

And the race for the final spot for Paul McGinley's European side came down to a shot. While Graeme McDowell sat at home enjoying his new baby daughter just born on Monday, Stephen Gallacher was making a desperate push to bump the Ulsterman out of the ninth automatic spot. Gallacher needed to finish in the top two at the Italian Open, but came up a shot short of David Howell and settled for third. Watched the last few holes of the coverage. If Stevie G had passed me, I was keeping it all in perspective!! #blessed — Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) August 31, 2014 Gallacher posted a T7 and 3rd in his last two weeks and has a very compelling argument to be a captain's pick, but the auto spot still goes to the veteran McDowell. The European Tour creates two separate points rankings because so many European players don't play full-time on their tour. So in addition to a basic European Points List, there's also a World Points List to reward all those worldwide wins and PGA Tour wins that European-born players lock up each year.

Thanks in part to his BMW PGA Championship in England, the Euro Tour's premier event, Rory McIlroy finished in first in both the European Points list and the World Points List, which he also dominated thanks to those two majors and WGC title. Here are the final standings for the two separate points races for Team Europe: EUROPEAN POINTS LIST When are the captain's picks made? Tuesday! Photo via Andrew Redington Paul McGinley will announce his three captain's picks on what will be Tuesday morning for the American TV audience. The announcement is set to take place around 7 a.m. on Golf Channel's "Morning Drive" program. Tom Watson will fill out his roster later, making his announcement Tuesday evening in a made-for-TV show originating from the "Saturday Night Live" Studio 8H in New York. The show is supposed to start at 7 p.m. ET and Golf Channel will also carry it live. Who's in the running for a captain's pick? Europe McGinley definitely has the tougher task. The European pool is so deep that they could put together two very competitive teams with 24 guys.

There are some new names, and one old name in Thomas Bjorn, that probably weren't expected to be on the roster at the start of the year. Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, and Bjorn locking up three spots leaves several Ryder Cup superstars and veterans battling for three spots. Here are the candidates: Ian Poulter -- Unless he's injured or completely lost his game, Poulter should always be on the team. He's probably the best player in the world in the match play format, a reputation built by crushing American dreams several times over in past Ryder Cups and repeated deep advances in the bracket at the WGC Match Play event. As a captain's pick in 2012, he went 4-0, whipping the USA in every format and with several different partners in the two-man games. His overall Ryder Cup record is 12-3. It's not been a strong season for Poulter on the PGA Tour, but this is his event and he's going to make the team.

Ryder Cup The European final roster Tom Watson finalizes American Ryder Cup roster Stephen Gallacher -- Like Donaldson and Dubuisson, he's another new face that's probably going to bump out one of those stars we're so used to seeing on the European team. A native of Scotland, he'd obviously be one of the fan-favorites at Glenagles if selected. He started the season targeting a Ryder Cup spot, and made a big early move when he won the Dubai Desert Classic, beating out Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy after playing as the third wheel in their group for the first two rounds. His strong finish to the season, missing out on that auto-spot by a shot, also likely puts his name on the roster. His position is probably not as strong as Poulter's but they seem to be the first two choices. Luke Donald -- The former No. 1 player in the world is still inside the top 30 in the rankings, but he's been mediocre-to-poor all season. Donald has made a ton of money on both the PGA and Euro Tours, and he's a four-time Ryder Cupper that's had a run of success partnering with Sergio Garcia.

He's also a natural partner for all the other English vets. But he's going to end the season with a missed cut at The Barclays and a finish near the bottom of the leaderboard at the Deutsche Bank Championship. There was a time you could always count on Donald to make it all the way through the FedEx Cup and be there in Atlanta for the finale, but he's going home this year after just two events. That middling finish, and four ugly showings at the majors, may leave leave him on the outside of an event where he's become a fixture and leader for Europe. It will probably be a toss-up for that final spot between Donald and ... Lee Westwood -- Another Englishman who has been a leader on so many successful European teams but who's also had an underwhelming season with inconsistent form. He's the most experienced player on the European side by a wide margin, playing in every Ryder Cup since 1997 and posting an 18-13-6 record. It's hard to imagine a European team without Westwood, but he's not in his best shape and this is as deep a pool as he's ever had to beat out for a spot.

Westwood's season ended last week at the Barclays, a T57 result putting him outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings. His brief run at the Masters, where he always seems to be a factor, was the only real notable moment this year for the former No. 1 player in the world. It will be difficult for McGinley to call Donald or Westwood and tell them they're not on the team, but that's probably how this is going to go over the next day. Miguel Angel Jimenez -- In any other year where Euros weren't winning all the time on all the tours across the world, Jimenez would be an easy choice. He won the Spanish Open, his debut event on the Champions Tour, and made the Masters so much more enjoyable with that weekend charge and 4th place finish. But the 50-year-old doesn't have enough to warrant a selection at this point, much to the disappointment of writers and bloggers everywhere. Here's hoping the most entertaining and interesting man in golf somehow becomes a part of the week at Gleneagles, whether it's as a Euro advisor or assistant or some last second made-up position.

UPDATE: McGInley made his picks , and went with Poulter, Gallacher, and opted for Westwood over Donald in the final spot. USA Like McGinley, Tom Watson may have a tough job filling out his roster but it's for a much different reason. McGinley has five or six candidates who would be deserving in most years, while Watson doesn't have many good options to complete his 12-man team. Tiger is injured. Jason Dufner is injured. Dustin Johnson is indisposed. It's a thinner group, to be sure. Here's a look at who's in the running for the US picks on Tuesday night. Keegan Bradley -- He's been pegged for one of these captain's picks for over a month now. Bradley is a natural partner for Phil Mickelson, and he fell just outside the top 9 in the points race. The anchored putter teamed with Mickelson and rolled through the Euros early in Chicago. They also played pretty well as a pair at the Presidents Cup last October. Bradley has not won on the PGA Tour in more than two years, but he's come close several times and remains one of the USA's better young players. He'll get a spot.

(via @bubbaprog ) Hunter Mahan -- Mahan spent most of the season way down the Ryder Cup standings at 25th or worse. But now he's shot into the middle of the captain's pick conversation, and probably played his way onto the team with his win at The Barclays last week. Watson cited Mahan specifically during his opening press conference when he was named captain last year. The captain questioned a team selection process that left Mahan off the roster, so there's a little background there with Watson being a fan of Mahan's consistent work over the past decade. He was left off the 2012 team because his game flamed out over the second half of that season. He's finishing this year with a T15 at a WGC event, a T10 at the season's final major, and a victory at the first FedEx Cup event. Given the limited options, it would be surprising to see Mahan passed over again, which is a stunning change from his status as a longshot a month ago. Webb Simpson -- The 2012 U.S. Open winner may emerge late as the best of a lot of not great options.

Simpson would pair well again with Bubba Watson, who could be the most fragile member of the team trying to navigate the hostile Euro crowds. Simpson has eight top 10s in 22 events this season, and is in contention this week in Boston after missing the cut at The Barclays. He was 2-2 in his Ryder Cup debut at Medinah. A spotty season might be enough for the final spot. Brandt Snedeker -- After the PGA Championship, he was probably one the favorites, along with Bradley, to claim a captain's pick. But he's missed the cut in the first two postseason events to promptly end his FedEx Cup. Snedeker was shaky at times in his 2012 Ryder Cup debut just after winning the $10 million FedEx Cup a few weeks prior. Once one of the best putters in the world, Snedeker has struggled with the flatstick all year. These last two weeks may have completely knocked him out of consideration for that final spot. Brendon Todd -- He's an unknown, but Watson would make a clear break with the past if he went with Todd. The Georgia product had never even played in a major championship until June's U.S.

Open, but that came during a stretch where he was one of the most consistent American golfers on the PGA Tour. He got his first career win at the Byron Nelson, and then went T5, T8, T5, T4 in four of his next five events. That run at least gave Todd a chance to go out and grab a spot from nowhere over the past month, but he's not played well since the start of August. A rough PGA Championship and two uninspiring FedEx Cup starts likely takes him out of the running as a darkhorse pick. Anybody... anybody? While those were the five main US contenders for those three spots, the candidates are so weak that a good result on Monday at the Deutsche Bank could change things. Chris Kirk is another Georgia alum who has had a consistent season, beginning with his win last fall at the start of the wraparound schedule. He's in contention at TPC Boston and could be a late addition. The same goes for Russell Henley, another Georgia boy who has one of the better putters on the Tour. He holds the final round lead at the DBC and is going for his third Tour win at just 25-years old.

Ryan Moore finished in 10th place in the final Ryder Cup standings, but he needed to make a big move in the FedEx Cup to close in on a captain's spot. He's in last place at the moment, and it's unlikely this former amateur star gets his first ever Ryder Cup chance this year. Bill Haas is another American with team experience, playing in the last two Presidents Cups. He's had subpar season for his standards but is making a bit of a push with a T15 at the PGA, a T2 in Greensboro, and is now going low in the final round at TPC Boston to make a charge up the leaderboard. It's probably too little and too late, but that final spot is so open that Haas could be under last second consideration. Predictions Tiger Woods won't be a Tom Watson pick on Tuesday night, and neither will assistant captain Steve Stricker. I think Watson will go with Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan, and Webb Simpson, while McGinley's choices in the morning will be Ian Poulter, Stephen Gallacher, and Luke Donald (and I was wrong, McGinley opted for Westwood over Donald).

Ryder Cup 2014: A tale of two captains - CNN.com Ryder Cup 2014: A tale of two captains By Paul Gittings, CNN updated 8:04 AM EDT, Thu September 12, 2013 Just how important are captains in the Ryder Cup? Paul McGinley is still competing on the European Tour, producing a strong performance in the first qualifying event for the 2014 Ryder Cup, the Wales Open, where he tied for eighth place this month. Tom Watson was officially unveiled as the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for 2014 at a ceremony in New York. It will be his second spell in charge, having led the successful 1993 U.S. team. McGinley, the European captain for 2014, is all smiles as he parades the Ryder Cup ahead of next year's title defense in Scotland. Legends paired: Watson and Jack Nicklaus share some time at the 1981 Ryder Cup at Walton Heath, which saw a crushing victory for a powerful United States team.

1993 Ryder Cup captains Bernard Gallacher, left, and Watson parade the trophy before the match at The Belfry, which was won by the U.S. team. Watson with Paul Azinger, whose half with Nick Faldo helped the U.S to come from behind on the final day in 1993. Watson's finest moment as a player is regarded as his victory in the "Duel in the Sun" when he held off Jack Nicklaus at the 1977 British Open at Turnberry. Watson's putt on the 18th green of the final round to win the 2009 British Open narrowly misses. Then 59, he eventually lost a playoff to Stewart Cink. 2012 European captain Jose Maria Olazabal, left, discusses tactics with his assistant McGinley during the match at Medinah, where the U.S. collapsed to lose on the final day. McGinley plays a shot to the third green at Gleneagles in last month's Johnnie Walker Championship, the last major tournament to be staged at the Scottish course until the 2014 Ryder Cup.

HIDE CAPTION (CNN) -- If it were a heavyweight boxing contest it would probably be ruled a mismatch. Paul McGinley versus Tom Watson. A cut-above European Tour player against a PGA Tour -- and just about everywhere else -- golfing legend. In the blue corner, a man with precisely zero major titles -- tied sixth his best finish. In the red, an eight-time major champion -- and so nearly nine, improbably aged almost 60, at the 2009 British Open. Ryder Cup captaincy experience? Next year is McGinley's first match in charge, although he was twice on winning sides as a vice-captain. Watson led the 1993 United States team which shocked Europe at its beloved Belfry to wrest back the famous trophy. Playing record in the biennial sporting showdown? McGinley two wins and two halves from nine matches. Watson, 10 wins and a half from 15 matches. But if the prospect of going head to head against a sporting icon in the ultimate in team sports competition has left him fazed, McGinley is showing little sign of it.

Read: How player power decided the Europe captaincy As the European captain, the genial 46-year-old Irishman will pit his wits against Watson, who not only has won five British Open titles, but is revered in Scotland where the 2014 match will take place at the famous Gleneagles course. With a year to go until the first shots are struck in anger in Perthshire, McGinley is well aware that the David vs. Goliath nature of the contest, at least as far as the team captains are concerned, is a talking point. Tom Watson named Ryder Cup captain Torrance: My top tips for McGinley McGinley: Ryder Cup role is an honor "Four of Tom's Open championships came here in Scotland, he's got a real affinity with the people, so he's going to bring that very strong dynamic to his team," McGinley told CNN's Living Golf program. "He won in 1993, away from home as well, so I don't underestimate him, neither do the players. "He'll make some astute decisions, no doubt about that.

But ultimately it's not between myself and Tom Watson, it's about 12 players in each team and how well they play. "As much as the captains are important, it's really about the 24 players." Read: Watson relishes return to U.S. captaincy Leading golf journalist Bill Elliott, who has covered every Ryder Cup since 1977, said while the captain's role was clearly influential, it was sometimes overstated. "In many ways a captain can lose the Ryder Cup, but in the end it is very difficult for him to win it," said Elliott, who is the Editor at Large of Golf Monthly magazine. "McGinley is hugely respected and represents all those players who have made a very good living but are not superstars. "I think it's healthy that you can become a Ryder Cup captain without winning majors." Where McGinley may also have an advantage is that he remains a full-time member of the European Tour and gets to see his likely team and picks close up on the golf course.

Tom Watson is here to do business and he is taken this on again at his age for a reason: to win it Paul McGinley The 64-year-old Watson, by contrast, plays on the U.S. seniors' Champions Tour, occasional appearances in the majors excepted. Veteran campaigner "I think I'm the second oldest guy with a card on Tour, but I still enjoy playing," McGinley said. Read: Watson grabs ace at 2011 British Open "I played well last season with a couple of top-five finishes, so when I play well, I'm still able to compete." It has also enabled him to sample at first hand the layout at Gleneagles, where battle will be joined from September 26-28 next year. McGinley played all four rounds of the recent Johnnie Walker Championship, the last tournament to be played on the Perthshire course before the 40th Ryder Cup contest. "I'll be watching the positions in the fairway and wondering if there's anything I can change or if there's anything we need to change to maximize and give our team an advantage next year," he told CNN before the event.

"We've got the experience of playing 10 years around here, the Johnnie Walker Championship, a lot of us know the pin positions and how the course is normally set up, we can use that to our advantage." But like his predecessors as European captain before him, Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal, McGinley admits that his own playing performances have suffered. In many ways a captain can lose the Ryder Cup, but in the end it is very difficult for him to win it Bill Elliott Career sacrifice "It's tough. There's no doubt there's a lot of challenges, all the previous captains have taught me how difficult it is to focus on your own career," he said. McGinley's peak came between 2002 and 2006, when he played on three successive winning European teams. Although his overall personal record is mediocre, it was his 10-foot putt on the 18th to secure a half against Jim Furyk at The Belfry in 2002 which secured the cup for Europe. A respected elder statesman, he was a natural to assist both Montgomerie and Olazabal as a vice-captain in their victorious campaigns.

Read: Watson proves golf is a game for old men It also put him firmly in the frame to step up when the choices were being made for the 2014 match. With Montgomerie and former major winners such as Sandy Lyle and Darren Clarke also being touted for the prestigious job, McGinley's failure to reach the very top of the game as a player was thought to count against him. Ryder Cup standout Lee Westwood, although an admirer of McGinley, went public with his support for Clarke. "Paul has played three Ryder Cups, Darren has played five, won a major championship and a lot of other tournaments worldwide. You have to have criteria somewhere and he edges it for me," the Englishman was quoted as saying. Unanimous choice McGinley admits that by the time the process reached a conclusion with a vote of the Players' Committee in Abu Dhabi in January, he was resigned to his fate. "If the captaincy hadn't come my way it wouldn't be the end of the world for me, and to be honest in the last week or so before the vote I had been fatalistic about it," he revealed.

Ultimately it's not between myself and Tom Watson, it's about 12 players in each team and how well they play. Paul McGinley McGinley was eventually the unanimous choice of the committee and has set about forging his own imprint on the team; winning an extra captain's pick -- two became three -- was the first task accomplished. Read: McGinley named in trio of Ryder vice captains "It's going so fast. I can't believe it's been six months since I was appointed, but fortunately it's going very well so far," he said. The acid test will come in the autumn of next year when McGinley makes those crucial three picks then attempts to lead his team to their eighth win in the last 10 stagings. The last two matches at Celtic Manor and Medinah, where Europe recovered from a four-point overnight deficit to score a spectacular triumph, have been desperately tight and McGinley believes they act as motivation for the United States team. "They are obviously keen to sort this out. Tom Watson is here to do business and he is taken this on ... again ... at his age ...

for a reason: to win it." Elliott is already predicting another tense affair and believes it adds to the magic of the Ryder Cup. Close contest "It's better if there is only a half-point or point in it and it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if America were to win it, to help retain the interest of their public in the event." He believes that the visitors could not have chosen a better captain than the legendary Watson. "He even has a legend's voice, with so much gravitas! "He will boost the American team and is particularly adored in Scotland, where he has had a love affair with the country after winning the British Open four times." Kaymer's magical Medinah putt Lee Westwood looks forward to Ryder Cup McGinley is also popular wherever he plays and takes great heart from the "incredible" performance of Europe's women in the Solheim Cup against the United States, beating the hosts by eight points in Colorado last month. Read: McGinley captains GB and Ireland to Seve Trophy win "I hope this will propel the Ladies European Tour to a brighter commercial future, like the Ryder Cup did for us," he said.

Certainly the exploits of the late Severiano Ballesteros helped to send golf into wider markets, with other major winners such as Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and Olazabal giving the European team the basis for continued success. Gleneagles countdown But McGinley believes there is greater strength in depth now. "Back then we had six or seven really strong players, maybe four or five not so strong, and there would be a heavy dependence on the star men. "It's different now, illustrated last year (at Medinah) when Jose Maria played all 12 players on the first day." Whether McGinley employs the same inclusive approach at Gleneagles, only time will tell, but he gained the reputation of being an astute tactician when he led the Great Britain and Ireland team to wins over Continental Europe in the Seve Trophy in 2009 and 2011. "He's a detail man and that should make him a very good Ryder Cup captain," said Elliott. Watson will surely inspire the U.S. to great heights next year, so it remains to be seen if McGinley can match him in a fascinating subplot to the eventual outcome.

Part of complete coverage on Ryder Cup 2014: The European team in full | The Independent Ryder Cup 2014: The European team in full The 12 men who will look to defend the Ryder Cup for Europe have been selected Tuesday 2 September 2014 12:23 BST Click to follow The Independent Online Rory McIlroy celebrates a birdie at 13 on his way to the US PGA Championship Getty Images European captain Paul McGinley on Tuesday completed his Ryder Cup team for Gleneagles by naming Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Stephen Gallacher as his three wild cards. Here, we take a look at all 12 members of the team... AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS RORY McILROY (Northern Ireland). Age 25. Caps 2 (2010, 2012). Record Won 4 Lost 3 Halved 2. Majors 4 (2011 US Open, 2012 US PGA, 2014 Open, 2014 US PGA).

McIlroy finished top of both qualifying lists by a massive margin thanks to a brilliant season which saw him win the BMW PGA Championship in May and then record three victories in succession in the Open Championship, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and US PGA Championship. Famously described the Ryder Cup as "an exhibition" the year before making his debut in 2010, but has changed his opinion since the narrow victories at Celtic Manor and Medinah, where he beat Keegan Bradley in the singles despite only arriving at the course with minutes to spare. HENRIK STENSON (Sweden). Age 38. Caps 2 (2006, 2008). Record W2 L3 H2. Majors 0. Effectively sealed his place on the team in November last year when he won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai to become the first player to win the FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai in the same season.

Has unsurprisingly struggled to reach the same heights in 2014 but was fourth in the US Open and third in the US PGA Championship, where he shared the lead on the back nine in the final round before a costly three-putt bogey on the 14th. Played in the record-equalling victory in 2006 but also Europe's last defeat in 2008. VICTOR DUBUISSON (France). Age 24. Caps 0. Majors 0. Won his first European Tour title in Turkey last year and followed that by finishing third behind Stenson in Dubai the following week. Made sure of his place in the team by finishing runner-up in the Accenture Match Play in February, producing some miraculous recovery shots in the final against Jason Day. An enigmatic figure who played in the junior Ryder Cup in 2006. JAMIE DONALDSON (Wales). Age 38. Caps 0. Majors 0. Secured his place on the team in style by winning the penultimate counting event, the Czech Masters, for his third European Tour title.

Took a long time to break into the winner's circle at the Irish Open in 2012 but then won in Abu Dhabi the following year and was second in both the Nedbank Golf Challenge and WGC-Cadillac Championship. Jamie Donaldson of Wales SERGIO GARCIA (Spain). Age 34. Caps 6 (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012). Record W16 L8 H4. Majors 0. A talismanic figure for Europe, so much so that he was brought in as a vice-captain by Colin Montgomerie in 2010 despite becoming disenchanted with golf and taking a two-month break from playing. Won a crucial point alongside Luke Donald in the Saturday fourballs at Medinah and then beat Jim Furyk on the 18th in the singles. Has turned his previously weak putting into an asset and finished second to McIlroy at both the Open and Bridgestone Invitational. JUSTIN ROSE (England). Age 34. Caps 2.

(2008, 2012). Record W6 L3 H0. Majors 1 (2013 US Open) Played all five matches at Medinah and birdied the final two holes to beat Phil Mickelson in the singles. Claimed his first major title the following year in the US Open at Merion - again denying Mickelson - and won back-to-back titles for the first time in his career in the Quicken Loans National and Scottish Open earlier this season. Justin Rose in action MARTIN KAYMER (Germany). Age 29. Caps 2. (2010, 2012). Record W3 L2 H1. Majors 2 (2010 US PGA, 2014 US Open). Admitted his form was so poor that he would not have picked himself for the team two years ago, but qualified automatically and ended up securing the point which ensured Europe would retain the trophy with victory over Steve Stricker. Won both the Players Championship and US Open by leading from start to finish in 2014, equalling the lowest halfway total in major championship history with consecutive rounds of 65 at Pinehurst.

THOMAS BJORN (Denmark). Age 43. Caps 2. (1997, 2002). Record W3 L2 H1. Majors 0. Has not played in the biennial contest since 2002 but brings vast experience to the side after acting as vice-captain in 2004, 2010 and 2012. Victory in the lucrative Nedbank Golf Challenge at the end of 2013 was the catalyst for his return to the side, which was sealed by finishing fourth on home soil in the inaugural Made in Denmark event. GRAEME McDOWELL (Northern Ireland). Age 35. Caps 3. (2008, 2010, 2012). Record W5 L5 H2. Majors 1 (2010 US Open). Held on to the final automatic qualifying place by 1.61 points after Stephen Gallacher was unable to finish in the top two in the last qualifying event in Italy.

Claimed the winning point with victory over Hunter Mahan in the final singles match at Celtic Manor in 2010, three months after winning the US Open at Pebble Beach. One of just three European players to lose in the singles at Medinah. Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland Paul McGinley – The 2014 European Ryder Cup Captain | RYDERCUP.com Paul McGinley – The 2014 European Ryder Cup Captain Mitchell Platts looks at the background behind European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley... Published: Wednesday, January 01, 2014 | 11:11 a.m. The intriguing background to Paul McGinley making history by becoming the first Irishman to captain a Ryder Cup team is that somewhere between the playing fields of Gaelic football and the European Commission he might have been lost to the world of golf. For many observers of the Gaelic game were absolutely convinced that the young McGinley possessed the speed and skill, the tenacity and the talent, to one-day graduate to playing for Dublin in the All-Ireland Final at the iconic Croke Park before an appalling injury that broke his knee-cap terminated a promising career.

Instead he followed an educational path by finishing school then gaining a diploma in marketing and management in his native Dublin before accepting a role on the Year of the Environment project in the European Commission in Brussels where he also studied French. Then came that “Robert Frost – The Road Not Taken” moment when Eamon Gallagher, then Ireland’s senior E.U. Diplomat, with support from Padraig O’Huiginn, then Secretary to the Department of the Taoiseach and like McGinley a member at The Grange Golf Club in Dublin, and Frank Fahey, the Minister for Sport, opened the door to a scholarship at the United States International University, San Diego, and McGinley chose the route that would make all the difference to his life. In truth, McGinley was swayed quite easily because as someone who aspired to making something of himself in sport, as his enthusiasm for playing and watching hurling and the more orthodox form of football emphasised, he was also blessed with the innate ability to hit a golf ball even if he initially courted little desire to make the game a career. McGinley said: “The idea of me being a pro golfer was like me going to the moon. There was no way.

As far as I was concerned Gaelic football was everything that golf was not. It’s a fast, tough, hard-running game whereas golf is much more sedate. I enjoyed the odd game of golf but there was no doubt about which sport I wanted to play. I was going to be a Gaelic footballer because that is what I was best at and loved the most. I wanted to play for Dublin, I also enjoyed my hurling and for work the business world beckoned. The injury to my left knee and then to move on from the European Commission to go study and play golf in San Diego were both blessings in disguise that changed my life.” His initial contact with golf was as a caddie for his father, Michael, who not only played Gaelic football himself for Donegal but also struck the golf ball with such authority that he was always considered better than the one handicap he held for several years. The young McGinley, despite being distracted by his addiction to Gaelic football, played to an acceptable five handicap.

Such was his application to succeed that once he focused on golf he was able to swiftly reduce his handicap at The Grange Golf Club in the heart of Rathfarnham, a south side suburb of Dublin where he grew up, so that by the time he turned professional he played off plus four. Desire, dedication and determination decreed that McGinley, born in Dublin on December 16, 1966, would significantly develop his golf game. In San Diego, he successfully studied for his degree in International Business and his strong work ethic on the practice range under the studious eye of coach Gordon Severson, who sadly passed away in 2006, transformed his game. McGinley said: “I learned more from Gordon than anyone else. He took me from a shabby amateur to a golf professional. Later I worked with Bob Torrance and he took me from shabby professional to a good professional. But it was with Gordon that I really started to learn how to play the game properly.” McGinley revelled in the opportunity to practice under the hot Californian sun and in the competitive world of American inter-collegiate golf his self-belief prospered as he became mentally and physically stronger.

He took time out to come home and in the 1989 Irish Close – the Blue Riband of the Irish amateur game - at Rosses Point, his perseverance and patience were key as he overcame five opponents to win the match-play title. On graduating from San Diego he concentrated on the amateur circuit – losing in the 1990 final of the North of Ireland to Darren Clarke while in 1991 beating Padraig Harrington on the way to winning the South of Ireland match play – before being selected for Great Britain and Ireland for the 1991 Walker Cup which by a lovely coincidence was that year being played at Portmarnock in Dublin. The United States would win but McGinley brought the curtain down on his amateur career with a brilliant second shot to eight feet at the last which set up a famous foursomes win with Liam White against Phil Mickelson and Bob May.

By now McGinley knew that his future would be on The European Tour, to which he has been committed from Day One, and he immediately grasped the nettle by winning the Under-25s European Open in the autumn of 1991 then started 1992 by making his European Tour debut in the Johnnie Walker Asian Classic a few weeks after earning his playing privileges by finishing tied second at the Qualifying School. McGinley’s first significant European Tour performance arrived at the Mont Agel course later that summer when four successive rounds in the 60s enabled him to finish tied sixth behind Ian Woosnam in the European Monte Carlo Golf Open. There can be few more spectacular courses than the Monte Carlo Golf Club at Mont Agel, perched high above the principality of Monaco, to kick-start a career but the quintessential Dubliner remained grounded. McGinley had at 25 arrived relatively late to the professional ranks but he did so with a mature sense of balance and outlook on life. He said: “I don’t want to make myself achieve what I want to achieve in a given amount of time. I’ve got an awful lot to learn about myself and my golf.

Steady improvement, even if it’s slow, will mean that my time will come.” Not that he was anything other than ambitious. So he correctly celebrated as he ticked all the boxes with his first European Tour win in the Hohe Brücke Open in Austria in 1996, storming from out of the pack from eight behind with 11 birdies in a superb 62, and the champagne flowed again later that year when he married Allison Shapcott, then a professional on the ladies tour. A family would follow – Niamh, born in 1999, Killian (2000) and Maia (2002) – and further individual success highlighted by his win in the 2005 Volvo Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama. It had been McGinley’s finest season but also his most frustrating. He had lost a play-off to Paul Casey in the TCL Classic in China then finished runner-up to Angel Cabrera in the flagship BMW PGA Championship where both had closed with 67s at Wentworth Club and narrowly lost 2 and 1 to Michael Campbell in the HSBC Match Play Championship back at Wentworth Club.

Now at the season-ending tournament in the south of Spain, McGinley would post a third round 65 – by two shots the best round of the day – to be four behind joint leaders Sergio Garcia and Colin Montgomerie and with a closing 67 he climbed to the top of the pack with which he would finish third in the then Order of Merit. They say that when McGinley took a stranglehold on the title with a wonderful wedge over water to the treacherous 17th green and a ten foot birdie putt that the cheers in The Grange clubhouse could be heard all the way across Rathfarnham to the Yellow House pub where McGinley enjoyed his first glass of Guinness.

By then, of course, McGinley had also established his international career – representing Ireland 13 times in the World Cup, famously winning the prestigious title with Padraig Harrington at Kiawah Island in 1997 and so emulating the triumph of Christy O’Connor and Harry Bradshaw 39 years previously, and seven times in the Alfred Dunhill Cup; playing in the Royal Trophy three times and playing a significant role in helping Great Britain and Ireland win The Seve Trophy in 2002 and 2005 – winning his singles on both occasions and losing only twice in eight matches alongside Harrington. McGinley’s almost uncanny knack of claiming team success continued when he captained Great Britain and Ireland to further victories in The Seve Trophy against Continental Europe in 2009 and 2011 although what remains the pièce de résistance in his international playing career is The Ryder Cup. That began with that time-stopping moment on the 18th green at The Belfry in 2002 when McGinley gloriously holed the ten foot putt that secured Europe’s success and he was bear-hugged by captain Sam Torrance.

It continued at Oakland Hills in Michigan in 2004 when he went unbeaten as Europe won 18 ½ - 9 ½ on American soil and he kept his unbeaten singles record intact two years later at The K Club little more than 20 miles from where he grew-up as Europe again won 18 ½ - 9 ½. Moreover, his unbeaten run has continued as a Vice Captain to Colin Montgomerie in 2010 and José María Olazábal in 2012. McGinley’s love affair with The Ryder Cup is driven by passion. He says: “I love the whole atmosphere of The Ryder Cup. I love everything that goes with it, the pomp and the pageantry. I get a real buzz out of being in the same room where everyone is pulling for the team. It’s inspirational, you can touch the camaraderie, and I do reach for another level when involved in team golf.

My heart ticks a bit faster, my adrenalin flows more.” So Gaelic football’s loss has been golf’s gain and the land that bred the likes of Bradshaw and Daly, O’Connor and O’Connor jnr, Clarke and Harrington, McDowell and McIlroy, to play Ryder Cup golf now has in Paul McGinley the most consummate of professionals as their first European Ryder Cup Captain. Mitchell Platts

Question: Which golfer is the captain of the European team in 2014 Ryder cup?
Answer: Paul McGinley